Trend-jacking, issue-driven media relations, opportunistic PR — there are many terms that describe the way PR folk can use breaking news and marketplace trends as a springboard for media outreach. But one thing is for certain, this is an area that is getting increasing attention — at least around Topaz.

The days of waiting on product announcements, customer stories and editorial opportunities are long gone — and the smart PR person will look for ways to align media pitches with topical issues and news. Done right, this is a good thing for our clients (more media coverage), for the media (stories that are more relevant and of more interest to readers), and for news consumers. a good example is a story that appeared on AP earlier this week, looking at the dangers of uncontrolled electronic employee communications.

Topaz client Orchestria is a major player in this arena, and we used recent issues related to internal security breaches — with Whole Foods and Boeing — to call attention to this trend and to introduce Orchestria. AP reporter Brian Bergstein saw the story here and the rest is history.